The Strange Man in the Blue Box
by companion10.5
Summary: After Donna, the Doctor ends up in Chiswick again but this time he runs into Emma, a abused, over worked, lonely, 27 year old with a nose for adventure. The Doctor is taken with her and instates her as his new Companion. And well...we can say it just goes crazy from there!


**The Strange Man with the Blue Box**

I led a pretty normal life- work, boyfriend, family, the usual. I mean I guess it's not normal to have to work three jobs, have a boyfriend who thinks every guy who looks at you means you're cheating on him, or have a mother who hates every bone in your body but its normal for me. And the day I met the tall thin, strange man was the day that my entire life changed.

The day started out just like any other. Wake up at 4:30, shower, fix up my hair and makeup, grab a bit of toast and rush out the door. Work at the tea shop till eleven then run to the bookshop until six thirty and then rush off to the pub and work till two, just the normal day for me. But on the way home from the pub I heard a strange whirring noise coming from a back alley. Being who I am I rushed to see what was going on. I reached the end of the building and peered around the corner. There I saw a blue box. Not just any trash bin or anything no, it was a Police Box. The kind used in the 60's, and there was a man. Tall and thin, in a suit, tie, trench-coat, and –Converse. He was a strange man. He stepped out of the mysterious blue box and advanced towards the building from which I was observing behind. I quickly turned and ran for my flat. Not looking back. Not knowing that this strange encounter would change my entire life.

**One**

"WHAT'RE YOU PLAYEN AT YOU BITCH?" The blow came hard and swift. I was knocked sideways._ Don't cry. Don't show pain. Just take it as it comes._ I stood and awaited the next blow. I could feel the blood trickling down my chin.

"WHY DA HELL'RE YOU SEEIN' ANOFER MAN BEHIND M' BACK?"

"I'm not."

"WHAT'S THAT BITCH? I CANT HEAR YOU!"

"I'M NOT SEEING ANOTHER MAN BEHIND YOUR BACK! I WORK AT A BLOODY PUB! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? OF COURSE OTHER MEN ARE GOING TO BE CHECKING ME OUT! IT'S. MY. JOB" Another blow. This time so hard I'm thrown to the floor. I hear the jingle of keys and the door slam as Bruce left in an angry rage. I stumble to the bathroom, dazed by the last blow. My nose was bleeding as was my lip and I had the beginnings of a lovely black eye, another cover story for another day. I don't know why I keep taking him back. One day he's going to shoot me in his rage and that'll be the end of it all. I wiped the blood off my chin and took off my shirt examining the damage. My side was covered in green and yellow splotches. I tossed the blood stained tunic in the laundry bin and threw on a simple t-shirt. I was in pain and I felt the involuntary tears slide down my cheeks. I was completely alone. No one to call and cry to. No one to visit. Sure there are my co-workers but they don't need to know about this. Bruce is the only person in the world who shows the slightest interest in me. I fear he's the only person who will want to marry me. The thought of being married to that bastard sends shivers down my spine. I went to the kitchen to brew a cupa tea. Sitting in the dank cold, kitchen I began to think about the strange man with the box. I passed that street every night and I have never heard that sound, seen that box or its owner. My eyelids were heavy. I rested my throbbing head on the cool vinyl surface of the table thinking about the mysterious stranger.

I was startled awake by the slamming of the door and the sound of Bruce trudging to the bedroom. I looked out the window. The faintest traces of dawn were on the horizon. Stiffly, I stood and quietly walked to the bathroom. I turned on the water as hot as it would go. Waiting for the water heater to come to life I examined the damage I had received last night. My cheek bone was swollen and purple. What would I tell Mrs. Barrowman, I was attacked by a mugger? No. I already used that one with the stitches. The steam was rising from the shower alerting me that the water was ready. I stripped off my clothes and stepped under the hot water letting it wash away my troubles. All that is but one. His face haunted my dreams. His eyes. His beautiful deep brown eyes. Old. Older than his face showed. Old and filled with pain, sadness, and loneliness. Who was this man? This mysterious man in the alley behind the pie shop. The strange man with the blue box. I stood under the water, feeling it run down my body, thinking. I couldn't get his face out of my head. His eyes. His lovely eyes. A few more minutes. That's all I can spare. I need to get to work. I scrubbed the blood and dirt out of my hair and off my skin, tenderly prodding the bruises that covered my side and back. Finally, regretfully I turned the water off and stepped onto the frozen bathroom floor, wrapping myself in a towel and tip-toeing down the hall into the bedroom. Bruce was sprawled out on the bed, fully clothed, and snoring loud enough to wake the dead. I opened the closet and stepped inside silently closing the door behind me and switching on the light. I dried off and began to get dressed for the day ahead. Spotting my red converse, I smiled at the irony and took them off the shelf. Black pants, white shirt, and red converse. I stepped out of the closet draping the damp towel over the door and walked back to the bathroom. I sprayed gel into my hair and fixed my makeup to the pub's standards. Applying the concealer thicker on my cheek. I glanced at the clock, I was running late. I quickly tied my hair back and ran to the door, grabbing my coat and bag. I dashed down the stairs and began the long thirty minute walk to work.

**Two**

"Hello Mrs. B! I'm sorry I'm late!"

"Heavens child! What happened to your face?"

"Oh! Last night there was a fight at the pub and I was located between the stool and its destination."

"See? You have got to find a more…civil, job! I'd be willing to take you on full time if we were open that late!" The elderly lady patted my cheek and smiled, sympathetically. Mrs. Barrowman is the closest thing I have to a friend, but she isn't all right in the head. She's getting a bit old. Nevertheless she is the kindest person I know. I began my regular job of setting all the chairs back on the ground and bring out the fresh warm pastries from the back. As the normal thread of customers began trickling in, I started preparing the teas, lattes, and pastry bags. As the morning rush hour transitioned to the breakfast goers, we prepared the coffee and cakes. Jessica came in, late as always and took the register orders while I monitored the sitting area. I walked over to the large hulking form of Mr. Hannigan who was viciously attacking his Danish when I saw him. The strange man with the blue box. Sitting at the bar waiting for his order to be taken. All thought of Mr. Hannigan fled my mind as I slowly, shakily made my way over to the stranger.

"Good Morning, What can I get for you?" He looked up. His gorgeous brown eyes smiling sadly at me.

"He-low! Can I have a nice cupa tea?"

"Of course!" I walked over to the tea pot and poured the water into the cup. As I made my way back to the mysterious man I heard the cup begin to tick against the saucer as my hands shook. Hastily I placed it in front of him. He smiled warmly at me.

"I'm the Doctor! Who are you?"

"Emma. Emma Douglas."

"Pleased to meet you Emma Douglas! What happened to your cheek?" He reached up and gently touched the splotchy bruise on my face.

"I was caught up in the middle of a fight at work last-night."

"Really? A fight? In a quaint little teashop like this?"

"What? Oh! No sir! At my other job."

"I see!" he took a sip of his tea.

"Pardon me sir, I don't mean to pry, but you said you were a doctor? A doctor of what exactly?"

"Oh no! I'm the Doctor. Just the Doctor!"

"Pleased to meet you 'The Doctor'" I shook his hand and walked away quickly so he wouldn't see me blush. He was stunning. If only Bruce could see THIS! I began to clear away the dishes and start to close up. I glanced over my shoulder. He was watching me. I felt butterflies in my stomach. I don't know what it is about this man but he has defiantly caught my attention. I brought the bucket of dirty dishes back into the kitchen and walked back out front. The Doctor was gone. I felt a pang of sadness but continued to clean up the shop while Jessica sat around and stuffed her face with the left over pastries. I walked into Mrs. Barrowman's office to let her know that I was done for the day but she wasn't there. Worried I checked under her desk and all around the office but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Jessica, have you seen Mrs. B lately?"

"What. That old lump? I haven't seen her all day! Honestly Em! I don't know why you worry so over her! It's not like she's family or anything!" I glared at her

"She's the closet thing I've got to family Jessica." Yet again the clock was getting ahead of me so I had to rush off to the book shop, regretfully leaving Mrs. B to find herself.

I walked in the door just as the first customer came up to the register.

"Hello Emma! How are you today?"

"I'm well! How about yourself?"  
"Oh you know just the usual! Getting a coffee and then coming for a new book!" I laughed. Berkley was a young scholar who spent more of his time with his nose in a book than anything else!

"Do you know of any new books?"

"Well, I'm not supposed to tell anyone but we're getting a whole shipment of mystery novels later on this afternoon! You should pop back by and help me shelve them!" Berkley grinned ear to ear.

"I will!" He handed me the money and hustled out the door. I smiled to myself as I began shelving the unwanted books. I turned around and bumped into a man, knocking the book out of his hands. I fumbled around, apologizing and picking up the book when I noticed his shoes. Converse. Slowly I stood up.

"Oh! Emma Douglas isn't it?" I stared into the face of the Doctor.

"Y-yes! I am sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you. I didn't know you were there!"

"Fancy meeting you here!" he laughed a smooth, beautiful, melodic laugh.

"How did you know I worked here?"

"Oh I didn't! I was just following reports of the Vashta Nerada!"

"I'm sorry the what?"

"The Vashta Nerada, microscopic beings which live in great swarms, some of them escaped the Library and it's my job to track them down before they wreak havoc on Earth!"

"Like….aliens?"

"Exactly!" he said with a grin. His gaze was hypnotic. It felt like he was reading my very soul. I backed away, wanting to get back to work but there was a step ladder conveniently placed behind me and I tripped over it, landing sprawled in a heap on the floor. Laughing the Doctor offered me a hand up.

"I like your shoe choice Ms. Douglas!" I smiled and thanked him then went hurriedly back to the counter where I started rearranging the gift card rack. Trying, yet again, to hide my blushing. He followed me over to the check-out counter and stood there, waiting for me to look up, when I failed to do so he said,

"When do you get off work Emma?"

"I finish here at six thirty."

"It feels like there should be a 'then' following that."

"Yeah. Then I go to the pub and work till 2."

"In the morning?"

"Yeah? Why do you want to know when I get off work?"

"Just interested. You have bags under your eyes from lack of sleep." I smiled and went back to counting the cash in the register.

"And. Something tells me that bruise isn't from a bar fight."

"What makes you think that…?"

"If it were from a fight you wouldn't have tried so hard to cover it up would you." The man had a point. But not wanting to admit anything I avoided his glance at all costs.

"When you get off work at the pub, do you want to meet somewhere so that you can tell me everything?" I nodded.

"Do you want to meet at in front of Mural's Bakery? On the corner of what, Elm and Fleet Street?" once again I nodded. He grabbed my hand, smiled, and walked out of the store.

**Three**

As I was wiping the glass of the bar down my stomach was in knots. What makes me think that I can trust this man? For all I know he just wants me for sex. I only met him today and I'm already planning on staying out, late at night, with him. No. I can see it in his eyes. He wouldn't dream of doing that to me. And what would Bruce do. I know that if I do this, the beating will be severe. Probably worse than any of the previous ones. But it would be worth it. I have kept so much of this bottled up inside for so long, it will be nice to talk about it out loud with someone. Someone who cares like the Doctor. That's it then. I'm going to meet the Doctor in front of Mural's at 2 in the morning. I finished putting the chairs up and kicking the intoxicated ones out, put on my coat and walked out into the brisk October night, making sure to lock the door behind me. My stomach was turning itself inside out on the walk to Mural's. I saw his dark silhouette and walked slightly faster, fighting the smile that was trying to reach my lips.

"Hello!" I looked down.

"Not nervous are we? Don't worry. I won't do anything. I looked up and smiled.

"Would you like to go for a walk? It'll get the blood flowing and keep you warm." He smiled and offered me his arm. I hesitated at first but then I took it. We strolled to the park on the corner. The sound of our feet shattering the silence.

"So, what exactly happened to your face? To get the bruise I mean."

"My boyfriend." And suddenly I was telling him everything, the fact that Bruce had broken my nose, 7 ribs, 9 fingers, my wrist, tied me to a chair and cut open my lip and cheek, how he stabbed me in the thigh with a bowie knife, and how he tried to burn me alive. I told him about why I still stayed with him, I told him about how my father had died 16 years ago and how to this day my mother blamed me for his death, and because of this she disowned me and now I'll get the odd call from my sister bragging about how good that holiday's dinner was and how I was missed. I told him everything. And the whole time I was talking he had stayed uncomfortably quiet. I only then noticed that we were walking into London. The city was alive for 2:30 a.m. the constant ear splitting sound of the traffic, the streams of people going this way and that, the glittering lights. It was beautiful in a strange way. To escape the noise, the Doctor and I walked into a late night café. Soft jazz music was playing in the background, the dark brown walls and soft lighting gave the whole restraint a relaxing air. I purchased two cups of tea and we went and sat in a corner booth by the window.

"So, do you have a first name, or is it just 'The Doctor'?"

"Just The Doctor.

Do you even HAVE a name?" at this he laughed.

"Of course I have a name! But no one on this planet can pronounce it!"

"On this planet. What do you mean?" he leaned in and whispered."

"I'm not from this world."

"You mean, you're an alien…."

"Yup! Two hearts look!" He took a stethoscope from the pocket of his trench coat and handed it to me.

"One on each side!" I placed the scope on the left side of his chest, where human hearts are. The steady bating filled my ears. I moved it to the right side. The same rhythmic beating. He smiled.

"See?"

"Where are you from?"

"Somewhere far away.'

"I gathered that but where?" He looked like he was somewhere else. Someone his planet.

"I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the Constellation of Kasterborous."

"Where's that? How did you get here of all places?" Then I realized. The little blue box behind the bakery wasn't an ordinary police box.

"That's your ship isn't it?"

"What is?"

"That little blue box. The one you stepped out of two nights ago. I was there. I saw you."

"Oh, so it was YOU that I heard." I nodded. He smiled, finished his tea and stood up.

"It's about time we head back. It took us nearly an hour to get here and it'll take us nearly an hour to get back. Estimated arrival time oh 5 o'clock in the morning?"

"Oh no. I'm going to be late for work…" the Doctor and I walked back out of the café, me holding onto his arm.

"Why don't you forget work and come with me?"

"Come with you where? In that little police box?"

"Could be fun!"

"But what would I tell Mrs. Barrowman? Mr. Burton, Phil? What'll I tell all of them?"

"Say you're going on holiday for a bit. From what I've gathered you've never missed a day of work!" I shook my head. As we walked out of London, we laughed and talked. It was nice. For the first time in a very long while, I felt relaxed and free. Free from work, from sleep deprivation, from Bruce. Free from the world, and I loved it!

As we neared the bakery I expected the Doctor to stop and say goodbye but he kept on walking, straight on past. I led him to my apartment.

"Thank you, Doctor."  
"What for?"

"For letting me complain to you. You're the first person who actually listened to me." He smiled and hugged me.

"So I'll see you in a few hours?"

"Yeah. There are just some things I need to do. Should I pack a bag?"

"If you want!" I smiled and hugged him again. He smelled clean. Like freshly mown grass and herbs. I turned and let myself into the lobby, dreading as the lift came down. I opened the doors and stepped in, looking out the grating. He was watching me. I smiled, waved, and pressed the '2' button. When the lift dinged I opened the door and walked down the hall to the apartment. I quietly slipped my key into the lock and let myself in. It's about 5. Bruce should be home drunk and passed out in bed by now. I slipped off my shoes and went to the bedroom. Sure enough Bruce was there. But he wasn't asleep. He looked up as I walked in.

"Where the hell have you been." The icy tone in his voice was like nothing I had ever heard.

"Phil had me stay late, we have white glove tomorrow."

"Spare me the shit." My stomach dropped.

"Mickey saw you. Walking through Butterfield Park. With a man in a trench coat." He stood up and walked towards me. I slowly started backing away.

"Why the hell were you walking through Butterfield Park at 3 in the morning coming FROM London. What were you doing in London you little slut?"

"You don't understand-"

"Oh I understand perfectly you bitch! I'm just not good enough for you! So you sneak off to London with some man!" My back hit the wall. I was cornered. He slammed his hands on either side of the wall.

"Tell me you love me."

"What?" Bruce looked at me. There was pain in his eyes, pain I had never seen before.

"Tell me that you love me. Tell me that it wasn't you." I looked into his eyes. Wishing I could tell him it wasn't.

"I- I love you."

"Tell me it wasn't you. Tell me that Mickey was wrong."

"I can't." He grew enraged. He grabbed my wrists and slammed them to the wall.

"What the f*** were you doing with him? Huh? Did you two go to a hotel and shag? Did you shag him?"

"No! Of course I didn't! We just went for a coffee." He tightened his grip on my wrists.

"You little slut." He leaned in and kissed me. Hard. Then he swung me around and threw me on the bed. Taking off his trousers.  
"No. No. NO! PLEASE NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! NO!" But it was too late. He was on me. I was sobbing, screaming for help. Knowing that it would never come. He kissed me again and again but didn't stop. I was screaming, the bed was thumping against the wall but he didn't stop. As he went he tore off my shirt and bra, burring his head in my breasts, kissing them repeatedly, but never stopping. I was sobbing. I was in pain, physically and emotionally.

"Stop…. Please….stop." I gasped, but he kept on, pushing harder and harder, until finally he stopped. He pulled my pants and underwear the rest of the way off, picked me up and laid me down under the covers of the bed. I was shaking and sobbing. Curled up into a little ball under the covers. I heard him climb in on the other side of the bed and pull me to him, wrapping his arms around my waist. The last thing I wanted to do was sleep with this bastard but I made up my mind. In a few hours' time I would dump his sorry arse on the street. I turned over and placed my arms around his neck, kissing him, softly. He pulled me closer till the warmth of his skin touched mine. He gently slipped his tongue into my mouth. It took everything I had not to vomit. I needed to keep the act up. Just a few more hours. He wrapped his leg around me and tried to get inside me again but I placed a hand on his chest.

"No. Please. Not right now." He looked at me and removed his leg. I turned over but he started kissing the back of my neck. Moving slowly over closer to my chest. What part of 'No' did he miss? I let him. I turned over again so I was facing him again. He looked at me and smiled softly, wrapping his hands around my waist again. I curled up to him and placed my head on his chest. Eventually, his breath slowed down and he was asleep.

**Four**

Morning sunlight was hitting me in the face, I turned over and realized, I was naked. I wrapped the sheet around my chest and looked at Bruce. He smiled at me and stroked my cheek.

"Get out."  
"What?"  
"I want you to get out of my house. I want you to take all your shit and get out of my house." His hand dropped and the smile left his face.

"Why?" there was a pained tone to his voice but I didn't care.

"For starters your abusive and over protective and on top of it all, you raped me last night. I don't want to stay with a man who does that when he's pissed off. You have two hours to gather all your crap and get out of my house. "

He looked at me and rolled out of bed. Pulling on his trousers and walking out of the bedroom. I slowly got up and wrapped myself in a robe. I walked into the closet and took all of his clothes off of the hangars and tossed them outside. Shirts, pants, belts, shoes, socks, boxers, everything got thrown out of the closet. I went over and started on his bed side table when I noticed a little blue velvet box. I opened it and gasped. A sliver ring glinted up at me. He was going to propose. That's why he didn't start beating me the second I walked in the door. I snapped it closed. No. I don't love him and there's no way I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him. I tossed it in the growing pile of stuff. Then I went into the closet again and got a new bra and underwear and went to the bathroom. I tossed out his soaps and gels and colognes and closed and locked the door, turning on the water. I looked at myself in the mirror. I had dark circles under my eyes. My face was covered in tear stains. My hair was thin and straggly. A tear slid down my cheek. Wiping it away I stepped into the shower and thoroughly washed myself. Trying to wash away the events of the night before. I collapsed onto the floor of the shower, the hot water pouring over me and I sobbed. I sobbed and sobbed, unable to stop. I ached. I was scared and alone. I didn't want to continue my life. I wanted to die right here. In the shower. Just choke on some water and be gone. But I knew I couldn't do that. I was broken and I looked it. When I stepped out of the shower I looked in the mirror again hoping to see the girl that I saw yesterday morning. But she was nowhere to be seen. In her place was a skinny little nobody with thin auburn hair and sad green eyes with dark circles under them. I started drying off as I heard the door slam and the walls shook. It was over then. He was gone. I put my underwear on and peeked around the corner up the hall and into the living room. He was nowhere to be seen. I put on my robe again and walked around the apartment. Nothing of his was left. Nothing. I walked over to the balcony and went out. It had started to rain when I was in the shower. I watched him walk away down the street. A gust of wind blew my hair in front of my face and he turned around and looked at me. I turned and went back inside, locking the door and closing the blinds. I locked all the doors and windows, knowing getting rid of him wouldn't be this easy. I walked back to the bedroom and started tidying up. I changed the sheets and made the bed, changing the comforter and everything. I folded the old comforter and sheets and put them in a black trash bag. Along with the clothes I wore last night. I didn't want to keep anything that would remind me of the night before. I cleaned up the whole house. Throwing out all the pictures and memories. I know the bin won't take away the memories but it's worth a try. I tied a knot at the top of the bag and went to pack my bag. I was going away and I don't give a damn about anything else. If I leave fast I'll escape the wrath of Bruce. I know he's planning something awful and I should be off somewhere with the Doctor when he does it. I pulled a medium sized duffle bag off of the shelf and threw underwear and socks in first. I pulled down all of my t-shirts and folded them placing them on top of the socks. Three jackets, six pairs of jeans, 8 pairs of Converse and three belts later I zipped the duffle shut and got dressed. I didn't feel like color at all. My hair had already dried and fell in waves around my face. I pulled on a black shirt, zipped up a grey hoodie, slipped into a pair of black skinny jeans, and laced up a pair of black on black Converse. I pulled the hood up over my head and swung the bag over my shoulder. I picked up the black trash bag and locked the door behind me. I dragged the trash down the stairs and threw it in the dump. I then walked down the street, heading for Mural's.

I peeked around the corner and sure enough the little blue box was still there. I walked up to it, dropped my bag in front of the doors, and walked to the tea shop.

"Mrs. Barrowman?" I knocked on the door and walked in. She was sitting there peacefully sleeping. I gently touched her shoulder and she startled awake.

"Oh! Hello Emma dear! What is it?"

"I was just coming to tell you I'm not going to be around for a bit. I'm going on a long holiday." She sadly smiled at me.

"You have fun dear! Oh, on your way out would you be so kind as to call Jessica in? I'm going to need her now that you're leaving!" I smiled, nodded and left her office. I was going to miss this place. I left the tea shop and walked down to the book shop. I let myself in and went to talk to Mr. Burton, I told him the exact thing I told Mrs. B and he smiled sadly at me and gave me a book.

"In case you get bored while you're relaxing!" I thanked him and walked out. Off to the bar to talk with Phil. Only difference is I'm quitting this job. I hated every second of it. I walked in and locked the door behind me. I flipped on a light switch and called out. Phil called down from the upper level. I walked through the quiet pub and up the stairs. It was dark so I turned on the light switch.

"Who turned out the lights?"

"Phil, I just turned them on! Were you at the bar after I closed up?"

"Who turned out the lights?"

"They're on Phil."

"Who turned out the lights?" I walked over to the corner where he was hunched over and began to reach out for him when my finger started bleeding. I jerked it back and stared at the muscle at the tip of my index finger. It was seeping blood, I backed away slowly.

"Who turned out the lights?" Phil's chair rolled back and he stood. But he wasn't Phil. His skin was gone. He was just a skeleton. There was a glowing green light on a necklace around his neck.

"Who turned out the lights?" Holding my finger tightly I ran down the stairs. I had locked the door. Of course I had locked the bloody door. I was fumbling with the keys as I heard Phil clatter down the stairs. I turned and there he was. Just a skeleton. A skeleton with two shadows. I shoved the key into the lock and rushed out the door. Phil slammed into the now locked door as I ran down the street.


End file.
